Metallic railroad-tie.



J. E. BABY.

METALLIG RAILROAD TIE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 7,1908.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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JOHN EDWARD 'RABY, OF NEG-AUNEE, MICHIGAN.

'Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. .12, 1909.

Applicationifiled luly '7, '1908. Serial No. 442,869.

' specification.

This invention relates to metallic railroad ties intendedas a substitute for the ordinary wooden ties used on railways, and has for its object to provide an improved made from a plate of metal such as steel bent or pressed to shape, in such manner as to form a stout and rigid tie having various advantages, as will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the tie. Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective of a device for bracing and fastening the rail base. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective showing the bolt which fastens the rail in place and which holds the brace shown in Fig. 4 in position.

The tie is of the box type, at the ends, at least, and is made of pressed steel or the like bent to form opposite vertical sides 6 connected at the ends by a bottom 7, with an opening 8 in the bottom at the middle, to allow the escape of Water or the like. The ends of the sides are inclined, as indicated at 9, and the ends of the bottom are turned up against the ends of the sides, as shown at 10.

A top part or piece 11 extends across between the sides, at the ends of the tie, and said top plate has a longitudinal depression indicated at 12 forming a seat for a wooden block 13. This depression is of less width than the width of the top plate, and is located at the middle line of the tie, forming on each side internal channels or recesses 14 which serve a purpose to be hereinafter is bent down, as at 18, over the end of the wooden block, and .the side edges of the plate are :also bent down, as at 19., so that the block is substantially covered and protected.

The tie is strengthened by internal arched braces 20 located under the rail seats, and consisting of metallic pieces bent to fit Within the tie and bolted :to the top plates, as indicated at 21. This prevents crushing of the tie, incident to the weight on the rails, and enables the tie to be made of lighter m'etail than would otherwise be possible. The wooden blocks on which the tails are seated, give a certain amount of spring or yield to the tie, and distribute the weight over a larger space than if the rails rested directly on the metal part of the tie.

To fasten the rails to the tie I use angular pieces 21, as shown fully in Fig. 4, and bolts 22 having flanged heads. The lower ends of the angular pieces 21 are adapted to fit in holes punched for that purpose in the top 11 of the tie, on opposite sides of the rail base, and the upper angle or part of the piece 21 rests upon the top of the tie with its end against the edge of the base of the rail, said end having a recess 23 therein through which the bolt 22 extends. Said bolt extends through a hole in the top of the tie and engages a nut 24 which fits closely in the channel 14, above referred to. This prevents the nut from turning, and enables the bolt to be screwed down tight by a wrench applied to the head thereto, and said head then laps the edge of the rail base as well as the end of the piece 21. The angular pieces 21 thus prevent any side slip or lateral displacement of the rails, but the rails may be quickly removed by taking out the bolts 22. The lateral pressure on the rail is supported mainly by the angular pieces 21 which communicate the strain directly to the tie, the bolts simply acting to hold said angular pieces in place and to prevent jumping of the rail. In order to accommodate rails of diflferent weights or sizes, several sets of holes may be made in the top plate 11 for the angular pieces and the bolts.

It will be seen that the tie is made of few parts which are simple in construction and easily put together, while at the same time strong and durable. The use of the wooden block gives great elasticity to the track, which 1s an uncommon advantage for steel ties, and the fastening devices make lateral displacement practically impossible. The manner in which the nuts 24 are held in the channels under the top of the tie is efficient and advantageous, inasmuch as the nut and thread are protected and cannot be battered in any way. The tie plates 16 protect the wooden blocks from weather and wear and also hold the same in place under the rail. The tie plates may, however, be omitted if desired, and other devices used for holding the wooden blocks. The blocks are useful and desirable because they can be varied as desired, to raise or lower the rails. High or low spots in the track can be corrected by substituting thicker or thinner blocks, or the blocks for a short space can be taken out en tirely, letting the rail rest on the tie directly. The tie can be rolled, cast or pressed from a single sheet of metal and the edges made to meet where desired, preferably at the middle of the top.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the following claims, and no 2. A hollow metallic tie provided with wooden blocks upon the ends thereof, and plates upon the blocks, on which plates the rails rest, the inner ends of the plates being folded over to engage the rail base and the outer ends of the plates being bent down against the ends of the blocks.

Tn testimony whereof I afix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD BABY.

Witnesses CHARLES FREDLUND, PHIL HOGAN. 

